VIRGIN MEDIA LIGHTENING PROJECT

Virgin Media has been significantly expanding its UK & Northern Ireland footprint through a £3 billion network expansion programme making it the single biggest private investment in UK internet infrastructure in over a decade. ICL have been involved since the commencement of this project providing network surveying services leading up to the roll-out.

Quasar, a company ICL had previously worked with in the Irish market, approached us to go into partnership with them on the above project. Using our custom-built workflow management system we scoped and commissioned a module specifically for this project. This allowed for a complete full survey to be carried out in the field, with details being captured on a mobile device, thus making it a live paperless process. Following on from this, designs were completed based on the survey information captured.

The main challenges that faced us came in terms of the following:

Wide geographical area that needed to be covered

Paper intensive in terms of the flow of information

Coming in on physical maps

The transfer of data to all relevant parties

ICL sourced network surveyors in areas which allowed us to cover a wide geographical area ensuring client targets and deadlines are met. Traditionally field surveys are very paper intensive in terms of the capturing of information i.e. drawing and marking up on maps and submission back for design / redesign. With the use of our custom-built workflow management system all maps are issued out to surveyors electronically and worked on live in the field enabling real-time access for all relevant parties. If any issues arise this live system allows for these to be actioned immediately. The elimination of a physical paper trail also represents an enhanced corporate social responsibility (CSR) in regard to the environment.

As a result of our performance on this project ICL are now delivering up to three times the original targeted figures and have been approached by other companies to carry out network surveying work in Ireland.

“We have partnered with ICL over the past few years on a large scale project for a major MSO in the UK. ICL’s knowledge and experience in the survey field is an indispensable element that goes into our design work. Further, the courtesy with which we are treated with, and the personal attention we are given, is exemplary.”